Oversight committee passes bills targeting tax delinquent feds, contractors

Congress

Oversight committee passes bills targeting tax delinquent feds, contractors

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed two bills on Wednesday that prohibit a person with \"seriously delinquent tax debt\" from being a...

Federal News Network Staff

April 13, 2011 5:48 pm

< a min read

By Jolie Lee
Federal News Radio

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed two bills on Wednesday that prohibit a person with “seriously delinquent tax debt” from being a federal employee or contractor.

A “seriously delinquent tax debt” is defined as an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public record, according to a release from the committee.

The bills were the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2011 and the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2011.

“The bills we reported today further the Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s core mission of ensuring that money Washington takes from taxpayers is well spent, and contributes to an efficient and effective government,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the committee, in a statement.

The committee also passed a third bill that extends the probationary period of federal employees to at least two years. The two-year probationary period also applies to an employee who has been transferred, promoted, demoted, reassigned or appointed to a new position.